Mustang Mach-E

Make
Ford
Segment
SUV

Applying the Mustang moniker to an electric SUV was a risky strategy, but the decision is paying off for Ford. For the first time, the Mach-E outsold the combustion-powered Mustang muscle car last month, but the electric SUV's latest achievement is even more impressive.

To demonstrate the electric SUV's efficiency, a rear-wheel-drive Mustang Mach-E Extended Range equipped with an 88-kWh battery was driven 840 miles across the UK, starting from John O'Groats in Scotland and finishing in Land's End in Cornwall, England. During the journey, the Mustang Mach-E averaged 6.54 miles per kilowatt-hour, setting a new world record for the lowest energy consumption in an electric car.

Effectively, this increased the range to over 500 miles, which is 120 more miles than the Mach-E's official 379-mile WLTP rating. In its most efficient California Route 1 guise, the Mach-E has an EPA-rated range of 305 miles in the US.

In total, the trip took 27 hours to complete. At the start of the journey, the Mach-E was fully charged and only needed to stop twice to be recharged. This doesn't necessarily simulate real-world driving conditions, however, as the Mach-E was driven as conservatively as possible at an average speed of around 31 mph. Nevertheless, it should help reduce range anxiety, as Ford's Go Electric report revealed that the average consumer thinks an electric car can travel less than 150 miles on a single charge.

Piloting the record-breaking Mustang Mach-E was BBC transport correspondent Paul Clifton and co-drivers Fergal McGrath and Kevin Booker, who have also set gasoline and diesel economy records.

"This record is about demonstrating that electric cars are now viable for everyone. Not just for short urban trips to work or the shops, or as a second car," said Clifton. "But for real-world use on long cross-country journeys. We've proved that, with this car, the tipping-point has been reached. The Ford Mustang Mach-E's range and efficiency make it an everyday car for tackling unpredictable journey patterns. We did a full day's testing totaling 250 miles and still had 45 percent battery charge on our return."